Metal hogshead



J. D. GA'Y, JR ET A1.

METAL HOGSHEAD Sept. 19, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 2'7, 1957 ATTORNEYS.

'Sept. 19, 1961 J. D. GAY, JR ETAL 3,000,531

METAL HOGSHEAD 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1957 W Y B RTTO RN EYS p 1961 J. D. GAY, JR ETAL 3,000,531

METAL HOGSHEAD Filed June 2'7, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 r. 3 y |l l 1' a I I I II-72 12 2'3 I I I 22' 3! H' Hi i I IN VEN TORS EM "WWW ATTO RN E Y3- Sept. 19, 1961 J. D. GAY, JR ETAL METAL HOGSHEAD 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 27, 1957 INVENTORS. J2me .Fauans 6'4 J?.

Fhe'aEe c' M r/bswm,

BY who? fill ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 19, 1961.

3,000,531 METAL HOGSHEAD Jacob Douglas Gay, Jr., and Frederic W. Joswig, Paris, Ky., assignors to Gay-Bell Corporation, Paris, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Filed June 27, 1957, Ser. No. 668,500 Claims. (Cl. 2205) This invention resides in a novel hogshead arrangement whereby the hogshead may be formed of metal or other formable material.

Hogsheads of the general type shown in the patent to H. G. Bell et al., dated June 12, 1951, Patent No. 2,- 556,789, entitled Barrel and Barrel Head Therefor are now well known in the art. A satisfactory method for making such hogshead is shown in another patent to H. G. Bell et al., dated June 5, 1951, Patent No. 2,555,- 530, entitled Method of Making Knock-Down Shipping Containers. A similar hogshead is shown in the patent to H. G. Bell, dated May 22, 1951, Patent No. 2,554,357 entitled Knock-Down Hogshead for Tobacco. Yet another hogshead of the general type to which the instant invention applies is shown in the co-pending patent application to H. G. Bell, filed May 24, 1955, under Serial No. 510,610 entitled Improved Barrel and Barrel Head Therefor.

Two other pending applications should also be mentioned. Pending application Serial No. 544,258, filed November 1, 1955, by H. G. Bell et al. entitled Apparatus and Method for the Continuous Production of Hogsheads and the Like and pending application Serial No. 588,726, filed by H. G. Bell et al. on June 1, 1956, and entitled Improved Apparatus, and System for the Continuous Production of Hogsheads and the Like, both disclose modern, wooden hogsheads and improved apparatus and means for their manufacture.

The instant invention is directed to hogsheads of the same general type shown in the aforementioned patents and pending applications but differs in that certain novel adjustments have been made in order to form the hogshead from metal rather than wood. This invention, of course, is directed to more than just the concept of making a hogshead out of metal. In order to accomplish this certain structures had to be devised and it is to these improvements that this application is directed.

In a co-pending application filed of even date herewith and entitled Paperboard Hogshead there is disclosed a novel arrangement by which hogsheads of the same general type shown in the aforementioned patents and pending applications may be made of paperboard. In such co-pending application the basic concept is not just to use paperboard instead of wood but rather such copending application is directed to the novel features which permit such a change. This co-pending application is mentioned herein since there is a relationship between the two and it will be understood that those features common to both the metal and the paperboard hogshead will be claimed in one of these two co-pending applications.

Also, although the instant invention is directed chiefly towards hogsheads made of metal, paperboard or other formable material might also be used even in the application of the teachings herein set forth. In most cases, however, paperboard presents certain problems which are apparently now best solved by the teachings of the said co-pending application.

An important object of this invention is to provide a hogshead which is switchable with wooden hogsheads of the type aforementioned and which may even be disposable.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a hogshead which may be termeda one-Way hogs- 2 head especially adapted for shipping tobacco betwe continents.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hogs head which may be wrapped around a cask of tobacco after the hogshead in which the tobacco was first packed has been removed.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide hogsheads which may be formed in a continuous roll and shipped from point of manufacture to place of use with a large number of hogsheads contained in a single roll.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a hogshead which although made of light grade metal is provided with means whereby it may be roughly handled without injury either to the hogshead or the tobacco therewithin.

It is to be understood that although the invention is described in terms of a hogshead for containing tobacco the invention is not limited just to containers for tobacco; obviously other materials may be packaged in the container of this invention. 4

The foregoing objects and others will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of the invention to follow and from reference to the accompanying drawings, in which drawings like numerals are employed to designate like parts and in which: FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the metal and means whereby it is initially operated on to arrive at a continuous roll of hogshead body sections,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the arrangment shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of a single hogshead body as formed by the means and method of this invention,

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 shows the hogshead as initially wrapped around a cask of tobacco but before such hogshead has been brought into final position,

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing the hogshead in such final position,

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken of the upper right hand corner of FIGURE 6,

FIGURE 8 is a view generally similar to that of FIGURE 7 but showing a different type of metal hogshead construction,

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary section through the hogshead of this invention and showing the addition of a handling element provided on the end of the hogshead,

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view showing a hogshead being clamped for handling by a hoist or the like whereby the element shown in FIGURE '9 is utilized,

FIGURE 11 is a side elevation of a hogshead as wrapped in final position about a cask of tobacco,

FIGURE 12 is a top plan view of the hogshead-of FIGURE 11,

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged section taken on the line 1313 of FIGURE 11,

FIGURE 14 is a section taken on the "line 14-- 14 of FIGURE 15,

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary side elevation of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 14,

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modification of the invention,

FIGURE 17 is a section taken on the line 17---1-7 of FIGURE 16,

FIGURE -18 is a side elevation of another modification of the hogshead of this invention,

FIGURE 19 is an enlarged section on the line 19- 19 of FIGURE 18, i

FIGURE 20 is a perspective view of a means for joining overlapping seams of a metal hogshead together,

FIGURE 21 is a perspective view showing the over- 3 lapped seams after operation of the device shown in FIGURE 20,

FIGURE 22 is a fragmentary perspective view of a means for joining overlapped seams of a metal hogshead,

FIGURE 23 is another fragmentary perspective view showing the hogshead of the type shown in FIGURE 22 with the seams joined together,

FIGURE 24 is a fragmentary perspective of another way of joining hogshead seams,

FIGURE 25 is a fragmentary perspective view of yet another way of joining hogshead seams,

FIGURE 26 is a further view showing the hogshead of FIGURE 25 as joined together,

FIGURE 27 is another fragmentary perspective showing yet another way of joining overlapped hogshead seams,

FIGURE 28 is another fragmentary perspective view showing the hogshead of FIGURE 27 in joined condition, and

FIGURE 29 is a fragmentary perspective view of still another way of joining overlapped hogshead seams.

. Referring now the drawings and particularly to FIG- URES 1 through 4 the invention will be broadly described.

In the manufacture of hogsheads for tobacco it is desirable to use strips of material approximately 72 inches wide. At the present time it is not practical to obtain metal strips of such width. Accordingly the instant invention shows by way of illustration a metal hogshead made from a plurality of said strips. It is tobe understood, however, that this is not to be considered a limitation on the invention except insofar as such is specifically set forth in the claims to follow.

In FIGURE 1 there is disclosed three strips of metal as indicated at 30, 31 and 32, each such strip being fed from its respective roll 33, 34 and 35. Suitable, conventional feed rolls 36 and 37 are utilized for advancing the metal strips. Such rolls are diagrammatically illustrated since the particular mechanism employed does not constitute a part of this invention and will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The three strips of metal 30, 31 and 32 are so arranged that the strips 30 and 32 overlap slightly the strip 31. These strips are preferably welded together as they are moved. The apparatus for accomplishing this is diagram matically illustrated in FIGURE 1 and comprises bars 38 for supporting brushes 39 which cooperate with electrical welding wheels 40 whereby a firm bond is obtained between the strips 30' and 31 and 31 and 32. The welding wheels 40 are mounted on suitable rods 41. This electrical welding system is well known in the art.

The outer edges of the strips 30 and 32 are next punched so as to form a continuous series of indentations 42. Since it is desired that movement of the combined strips be continuous it is arranged that the die means 43, which are only diagrammatically illustrated, move along with the strip as the indentations 42 are formed. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that conventional means for forming indentations of this type in a contin- :uously moving strip are well known and such means do not constitute a specific part of this invention.

A feature of this invention is that a series of hogshead bodies may be rolled on a single roll. In order that each hogshead body may later be removed from the roll it is necessary to define the body by perforations or other suitable means for tearing each from the roll. This is accomplished by a punch which is diagrammatically illustr'ate'cl at 44. This punch will also move with the combined strips in the same manner as described in connection with the die members 43. Upon actuation of the punch the perforations 45 are imparted to the strips. In FIGURE l dotted lines have been used to indicate the point to which the dies 43 and punch means 44 are moved 'whilevthey perform their respective operations on the position in order that the next operation may be performed. With respect to the die members 43 it will be understood that a continuous series of the indentations 42 are formed one after the other. With respect to the punch 44 it will be understood that the series of perforations 45 occur only with such frequency and regularity that a hogshead body is defined by each set of such perforations. A set of perforations would be a pair of consecutive groups as indicated at 45a and 45b in FIG- URE 1.

It is also necessary, in order to form the hogshead of this invention, to score the combined metal strips across their width in the region of the successive notches 42 so as to define what correspond to barrel staves. This is accomplished by a scoring mechanism which is again only diagrammatically illustrated in view of the fact that it too is well known in at least other arts. Such scoring mechanism comprises an upper roll 46 having a series of ribs 47 which cooperate withcorresponding depressions 48 in a lower roll 49, the rolls being operated opposite to one another but each serving to continue movement of the strip as initiated by the feed rolls 36 and 37 earlier described. The ribs 47, notches or grooves 48 and the speed of the rolls 46 and 49 are so timed that a score line is imparted to the combined strips so as tojoin opposite indentations 42 by lines which extend at right angles to the center line of such combined strips. These score lines are indicated at 50 and the staves defined thereby at 51.

Before proceeding with further description of the remaining mechanism for forming a metal hogshead it should be noted that the punch 44 which imparts the perforations 45 to the combined strips is also provided with means for defining a notch or indentation 52 which is approximately twice as wide as the indentations 42. In some instances the notch 52 may be even wider. The purpose of this will become apparent when one considers the forthcoming description of how this metal hogshead is applied to a cask of tobacco.

A pair of wires or cables 53 are fed adjacent the outer edges of the combined strips. These cables 53 will normally lie adjacent the innermost edges of the notches 42. The means for feeding these wires are diagrammatically illustrated as comprising a feed roll 54 and blade 55. The blade 55 will periodically move into the wire 53 so as to form a loop 56 therein. The function of the Wires 53 and loops 56 will become apparent shortly. It is noted at this time that the means 54 and 55 are conventional and do not constitute a specific part of the instant invention.

The wooden hogsheads of the type disclosed in the aforementioned patents and applications are provided at either end with a metal member which is commonly termed a hoop-and-liner; this is sometimes referred to as a chime. It is an important feature of of the instant invention that a similar hoop-and-liner be provided. This is accomplished by folding means which are diagrammatically illustrated at 57 in the drawings. The detail of this mechanism does not constitute a part of the instant invention. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that suitable mechanism for folding the outer edges of the combined strips can readily be utilized to fonm the hoop-and-liner now to be described.

It will be observed as perhaps best seen in FIGURE 12 that the bottom of the notches -42 terminate in a V 42a. The means 57 folds the metal about a line extending across the innermost tips of these V-shaped notches 42a. A hoop-and-liner used in connection with wooden hogsheads will have a second fold spaced from the just-mentioned fold towards the outer edge of the strip, a distance substantially the same as the thickness of the wooden hogshead panel to which it is applied; such similar fold is indicated at 42b in FIGURE 4. In the hogshead of this invention, however, this fold line 42b is not absolutely necessary and the initial fold may be the only one used at this place so as to arrive at a structure such as is shown in FIGURE 7 wherein the fold line 42b has been eliminated.

The means 57 also folds the tabs 42c defined by the notches or indentations 42 so that the metal extends back to the plane of the strips 30, 31 and 32 and then downwardly or parallel and adjacent thereto. Thus, as perhaps best illustrated in FIGURE 4, the means 57 acts to bend the tabs 420 so as to form the section 58 which abuts the combined strip of metal, the horizontal section 59 and the section 60 which slants towards the body of the combined strip. In the type of hoop and liner shown in FIGURE 4 there is also a fiat section '61; this section is eliminated in the type of hoop-and-liner shown in FIG- URE 7.

This concept of forming the chime or hoop-and-liner directly from or on the sheet or strip of material comprising the hogshead body, whether such material in metal, paperboard or other formable material, is a distinct part of this invention.

It will be understood that the means 57 accomplishes the foregoing folding of the tabs 42c in such a manner that the wires 53 will be maintained within the area primarily defined by the sections 59 and 60 along with the base of the combined strip. The loops 56 in the wires 53 are made to coincide with the rows of perforations 45.

Following operation of the folding rneans'57 there is another welding operation which is accomplished by the welding means generally indicated at 62. Such means 62 forms a weld 63 between the extreme outer edge of the tab 42c and the body of the combined metal strip. This weld maintains the flat section 58 of the tab42c against the body of the strip. The weld 63 is located so as also to furnish support for a hogshead bottom or top with which the metal wrap-around hogshead body of this invention is used. In the wooden hogsheads the equivalent structure consisted of staples located as taught in the copending application Serial No. 510,610 aforementioned.

As the metal strip with the hogshead bodies therein defined moves from the welding stations 62 it is rolled upon itself as generally indicated at 64. In order to get a hogshead body therefrom one simply needs to tear this strip along successive rows of perforations such as 45a and 45b and to cut the wires 53 in the region of the loops 56.

Referring now especially to FIGURES 3 through 7 and 12, there is disclosed a hogshead body as taken from the roll 64 just mentioned. Such a body was obtained by tearing the roll 64 along lines of perforation such as 45a and 4511. This hogshead is complete except for a top and a bottom. The body comprises a plurality of staves 51 defined by a series of score lines 50, each stave 51 terminating at its ends in sections of a hoop andliner. Thus each stave 51 has a hoop-and-liner section 58 lying thereagainst and welded thereto as indicated at 63. The slanting portion 60 is also plainly seen in FIG- URE 3. These hoop-and-liner sections contain the pair of wires 53, one along the upper edge of the'hogshead body and the other along the lower edge. At the ends of the hogshead body are flaps 65a and 65b whereat the body was torn from the roll 64. The loops 56 insure that there is sufficient wire by which to pull the hogshead tight and hold it in position as hereinafter described.

One of the uses contemplated for the novel, metal hogshead body just described is that of replacing the heavy, wooden hogshead in which the tobacco might first be prized prior to the time it is shipped. The metal is so light compared to the wood and cost comparison equally favorable that it is possible to replace the wooden hogshead with one of these metal wrap-around bodies and ship the tobacco cheaper than when it is left in the wooden hogshead even though the metal wrap-around is used only once and even though the wooden hogsheads are returnable for additional uses.

In using the metal wrap-around in the manner just described tobacco is first prized in a wooden hogshead.

6 Usually there is in the neighborhood of a thousand pounds of tobacco contained in such a hogshead. The wooden hogshead body is then removed. There remains a cask of prized tobacco resting on a hogshead bottom and covered by a hogshead top. These bottoms and tops 66 and 67 are normally wooden. All this is perhaps best seen in FIGURES 5 and 6. The bottom 67 is shown as resting on a support 68. The tobacco cask is indicated at 69.

The metal wrap-around of FIGURE 3 is then moved into position about the cask 69. Following this the wires 53 are drawn together so as to bring the wrap-around into final position. In such position the tops 66 will be abutted by the sections 58 of the hoop-and-liner formed on the hogshead body and this top will also be maintained between the chime section 59 and the weld 63. It will be understood that the bottom 67 will be similarly located. Should the tobacco cask 69 eventually dry so as to shrink within the hogshead the tops and bottoms 66 and 67 will remain adjacent the chime sections 59 so that rigidity towards the end of the packed hogshead is maintained. Otherwise such heads might turn or fall within the hogshead so that these extreme ends would not be properly supported.

In FIGURE 8 there is illustrated another manner of insuring that the head 66, for example, be maintained in place within the hogshead body. In this figure the section 58 has been further formed to define a tab 70 which takes the place of the enlarged weld 63.

Although it is possible that the tobacco cask 69 with the wrap-around applied thereto as shown in FIGURE 6, after the ends of the wires 53 have been suitably wound together, could be shipped in the form there illustrated, it is preferred to provide a handling element which will now be described and which is perhaps best seen in FIG- URES 9 and 10. Thus, as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, there is provided a wooden ring which may be nailed to the head 66. Preferably this ring 71 will abut the juncture of the chime sections and 59 so as to lend added rigidity to the structure. In this manner clamp members 72 commonly employed with hoists and the like for loading these hogsheads on a ship or train or what have you will engage the wooden member 71 rather than the metal sections defining the hoop-and -liner. Such arrangement has been found to be quite satisfactory and enables the hogshead to be roughly handled but without damage to it.

FIGURES 11 and 12 also show the metal wrap-around hogshead in position about a cask of tobacco having wooden tops and bottoms 66 and 67. The wire 53 is illustrated as having been drawn tight and tied together to hold same in position. It will be observed that the portion a overlaps the portion 6517. It will often be desirable if not necessary to provide means for maintaining these overlapped portions together throughout the height of the hogshead. If this is not done there is some chance that the hogshead will pull apart and let undesirable ele ments reach the tobacco or present obstructions which might interfere unduly with the handling of the hogshead. There are several ways in which this might be done and these are shown in FIGURES 14 through 29.

In the arrangement of FIGURES 14 and 15 staples 73 and 74 are driven into the overlapped portions 65a and 65b of the hogshead. These staples are of such a type that their legs will spread outwardly upon being driven whereby these overlapped hogshead portions will be maintained together.

In the arrangement of FIGURES 16 and 17 the edge portions 65a and 65b are provided with lines of cut or perforation defining tabs. One may simply take a chisellike element illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 17 and force the tabs into the position there shown. These will serve to lock the overlapped edge portions of the hogshead together.

In FIGURES 18 and 19 still another arrangement is shown. Here one may use a pair of auxiliary wires wrapped around the body of the hogshead and spaced in- 7 wardly from the upper and lower ends thereof. To this end the hogshead blank may be provided with a pair of grooves 76 to receive the wire 77 so that it will not slip.

In FIGURES and 21 there is illustrated yet another means for so securing these overlapping edges 65a and 65b. In this arrangement there is a means comprised of a member 78 having a row of perforations therein, which member is hinged to a short member 79 to which there is also hinged a lever 80 having a series of prongs corresponding with the openings in the member 78. In use the member 78 is slipped within the hogshead between the overlapped member 65a and 65b and the cask of tobacco whereupon the member 80 is moved towards it. The prongs 8-1 will pierce the overlap metal material and enter the perforations 82 so as to turn the metal as indicated at 83 whereby the layers will be held together and after which the means 78-80 may be withdrawn. The prongs 81 will be shaped so as to provide the configuration illustrated at 83.

In the arrangement of FIGURES 22 and 23 the flaps 65a and 65b are each provided with a series of holes 84. When the hogshead is tightened about the tobacco cask a wire or other suitable flexible member may simply be threaded through these overlying holes whereby to tie such sections together as indicated at 85.

In FIGURE 24 the same holes 84 are utilized but this time a sheet metal screw is simply placed within a number of the holes 84 whereby to join the overlapped sections together. These screws are indicated at 86.

In the arrangement of FIGURES 25 and 26 the flap 65a is punched so as to form a plurality of openings 87 while the flap 65b is slit so as to provide a plurality of tongues 88. When the sections are brought into overlapped condition the tongue 88 will pass through the orifice 87 and then be bent to the position shown at 88a in FIGURE 26 whereby to hold these overlapped sections together.

In FIGURES 27 and 28 the flap 65b is provided with a series of slits defining tabs 89 while the flap 65a may have one or more rows of holes 90, the different rows providing a range of adjustment. When the flaps are brought together the tabs 89 may be forced through the holes 90 and turned in whereby to lock such flaps together.

Finally, in FIGURE 29 each of the flaps 65a and 65b is provided with a row of tabs 91. After the flaps have been brought together in overlapping relation a wire or other cable may be fastened to the uppermost of one of the tabs and then simply engaged with the other tabs in a manner similar to which one would tighten a bootlace or the like.

It is believed that the operation of this invention has been made clear from the detail as it has been presented. It should be understood, however, that although it is intended that one use of the metal wrap-around of this invention will be to replace the wooden hogshead body in which the tobacco is prized, before shipping, that such use is not the only one to which this invention is directed. It is possible that the tobacco may be prized directly in the metal hogshead. This method of using the hogshead di rectly is similar to that disclosed in connection with the paperboard hogshead of the aforementioned co-pending application filed of even date herewith. Also, as indicated above, many of the teachings herein set forth may be applied to paperboard rather than metal and the invention is not to be limited in this respect other than as set forth in the claims.

It is to be further understood that while this invention has been disclosed as embodied in certain particular structures and arrangements, these are exemplary only and the invention is not to be limited to such arrangements and structures except insofar as they are specifically set forth in the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and what is desired to be protected by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A metal hogshead comprising a flexible metal blank having score lines which define upstanding staves, said blank also having score lines and notches which define a hoop-and-liner for each longitudinal edge of said blank, said blank being bendable about said score lines whereby to define said staves and said hoops-and-liners, each said hoop-and-liner including a hollow chime section depending downwardly and inwardly from each said stave, a top abuttinga said chime, a bottom abutting a said chime, and flexible lacing means within the hollow chimes whereby to pull and hold tight said blank about said top and bottom.

2. The hogshead of claim 1 in which said blank comprises three strips of metal welded together along their longitudinal edges.

3. The hogshead of claim 1 in which said hoop-andliner includes a series of inner segments flush with each of said stave sections beneath the respective chimes, each said inner segment having an inwardly projecting lug spaced from the bottom of each respective chime just suflicient to engage a top therebetween.

4. The hogshead of claim 1 including an abutment on said top and said bottom adjacent the ends of said chimes whereby to aid in the handling of said hogsheads.

5. The hogshead of claim 1 including means for fastening the adjoining ends of the blank together between the longitudinal edges thereof when disposed about the top and bottom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 611,080 Schmadeke Sept. 20, 1898 871,817 Parker Nov. 26, 1907 920,432 Coflin May 4, 1909 986,467 Killion Mar. 14, 1911 1,040,358 La Fave Oct. 8, 1912 1,047,652 Killion Dec. 17, 1912 1,516,073 Blackford Nov. 18, 1924 1,802,638 Eriksson Apr. 28, 1931 2,018,595 Blair Oct. 22, 1935 2,053,686 Powell et al Sept. 8, 1936 2,084,179 Arnold June 15, 1937 2,375,122 McConnell May 1, 1945 2,410,148 Buhrmaster Oct. 29, 1946 2,555,530 Bell et a1 June 5, 1951 2,603,401 Strauss July 15, 1952 

